Putin transfers Metro Cash & Carry Russian assets to temporary management

September 28, 2026 at 06:38 PM2 min

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Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree on September 28 transferring 100% of shares in Metro Cash & Carry's Russian legal entities to temporary management by JSC UK Torg Rus. The decree covers OOO Metro Warehouse Noginsk, OOO Metro Cash & Carry, and OOO Retail Property 5. The move follows similar transfers of assets belonging to Auchan and Lemana PRO.

Key Facts

The decree transfers 100% of shares in OOO Metro Warehouse Noginsk, OOO Metro Cash & Carry, and OOO Retail Property 5 to JSC UK Torg Rus.
JSC UK Torg Rus was registered on September 8, 2026, with a charter capital of 10,000 rubles.
Johannes Tolay, CEO of Metro Russia, is also the CEO and sole founder of UK Torg Rus.
Metro's Russian legal entity stated it continues normal operations and fulfills all obligations to suppliers, customers, and employees.
Metro entered the Russian market in 2000 and operated 91 trade centers in the country as of 2025.

The Decree

President Vladimir Putin signed the decree on September 28, 2026, according to the official legal acts portal. The document amends the list of property subject to temporary management, adding a new item 83. The decree transfers 100% of shares in OOO Metro Warehouse Noginsk, owned by Metro Cash & Carry Russia B.V., to JSC UK Torg Rus. It also covers OOO Metro Cash & Carry and OOO Retail Property 5, whose shares were held by Metro Cash & Carry International Holding B.V., Metro Retail Real Estate GmbH, and Metro Properties Holding GmbH. The decree enters into force on the day of its official publication.

Management Company

JSC UK Torg Rus was registered on September 8, 2026, with a charter capital of 10,000 rubles, according to Kontur.Fokus and RBC Company data. Its main activity is listed as 'activities of head offices'. Johannes Tolay is the CEO and sole founder of UK Torg Rus. Tolay also serves as CEO of OOO Metro Cash & Carry, the Russian legal entity of Metro.

Market Context

Metro's Russian legal entity said it continues to operate normally and fulfills all obligations to suppliers, customers, and employees. Metro, founded in Germany in 1964, entered the Russian market in 2000. As of 2025, the company operated 91 trade centers in Russia. The transfer follows similar temporary management measures for Russian assets of French retailer Auchan and the Lemana PRO chain, formerly part of the Leroy Merlin group. Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs head Alexander Shokhin called for clear criteria for introducing external management and explaining how managers are selected.